THUG 2: First Details, Screens

Neversoft offers a new story plus classic mode, Ben Franklin, projectiles and more.

By Douglass C. Perry

Activision finally connected the dots yesterday with a substantial set of changes and new features as IGN took a first look at the sixth game in the Tony Hawk series, Tony Hawk's Underground 2.

Having listened to its critics and fans alike, developer Neversoft has taken the revamped THUG series and has once again aimed at incremental improvement. Designed to please its fans, THUG 2 features all of the create-a-"things" from last year -- create-a-player, park, move, deck, goals and the import-your-face feature for the PlayStation 2 (only) -- but now players can create their own graffiti tag as well. The newly added create-a-graphic works like a simplified PhotoShop tool, enabling players to customize their own tags and the spray the ensuing cities for fun, points, and goals.

Perhaps the biggest news for fans of the first three games in the series is the two major modes of play, Story and Classic modes. Players will find a brand new story that starts where last year's ended off, as you, the newbie, are now a young pro skater. The twist is that Bam Margera and Tony Hawk have kidnapped you and a dozen other noobs, split you into teams, and have challenged you to a "World Destruction Tour" taking place in six cities across the world. The winner takes the props and the glory and the loser has to pay for the entire trip. From the E3 video we saw in May, you'll be gallivanting through Spain, Germany, Russia and France among other well known urban centers.

As part of the new storyline, players take on the role of several different characters throughout the game, instead of just the single create-a-player from the first THUG. (As of now, we're told, you cannot import your previous THUG create-a-character into THUG 2.) Missions once again start from roaming NPCs, sans the giant arrows over their heads. Intereestingly enough, these NPCs turn out to be playable characters. For instance, special location-based characters inhabit erach level, such as Ben Franklin in Boston. Once you decide to take on their goals, you'll take over them as a playable skater too. So, you'll then have two sets of goals to complete. You can play as many as 20 characters in all with many familiar pros (such as Chad Muska, Bob Burnquist, and even your former friend Eric Sparrow) making their returns.

Depending on how far you go back, Classic Mode is either a neat return of the old stuff, of a out and out blessing. Classic mode enables players to jam through the two-minute timed sessions, just as they did in the first three games in the Tony Hawk Pro Skater series. This mode comprises a select group of levels picked from previous Tony Hawk games and then re-tooled with new visuals and newly implemented goals, letters, secrets, and the like. So, you can play through the Story mode, or skip it completely and have you old cake and eat it too.

Other newly added features include the ability to tag objects with spray cans, and a handful of new moves such as sticker slaps and tantrums. Spraying the city is nothing new (see Jet Set Radio), but it's still fun. And if you max out the special meter, you can then spray a double size tag on a wall. Tagging is now implemented into the meat of the game. Neversoft has coupled it with off-the-board stuff, so you might hang or shimmy across a ledge with one hand and spray a spot with the other. There are many, many more places to walk and climb to now.

The ability to throw projectiles apparently took root from the previous THUG (see its fireball multiplayer missions), so now players can grab items (such as apples) and skate around the city, hurling them at inline skaters, old women and businessmen alike. We suspect this will an even bigger part of the single-player as well as the undisclosed multiplayer game than Activision has let on.

The chance to take more control using the new Slow Motion Focus sounded a little fishy at first to me. But from what we have seen, it's a straightforward slow-motion function -- not bullet time -- that actually helps you land difficult jumps. It also looks cool. As previously mentioned, players can still get off the board this time, however the off-the-board objectives have been better implemented into the game, compelling players to use the better animated, smoother-looking feature this time around. Oh yeah, and remember the funky drivable cars? This time you'll get the chance to pilot Segway scooters, hot dog stands, and hospital gurneys, and maybe even ATVs.

Sadly for Xbox, GameCube, PC and Game Boy Advance owners, THUG 2 is only online for PlayStation 2, giving PS2 owners all the abilities from last year online (i.e. to upload their created moves, goals, players and to compete online). Activision did not divulge any of its plans for multiplayer usage as of yet for any system (and it also kept its plans for potentially using the EyeToy hidden).

We heard a lot of interesting tunes in this build -- from the Violent Femmes to the Doors -- but none of the selections have been picked yet, and nothing is official, so don't count on anything yet. Voice-wise, there is some hilarious cutscenes and downright rude (read damn funny) dialog. If you've played the Tony Hawk series before, you'll know what I mean.

Also, if you didn't already notice, the art style in this game -- well, first of all, there actually is an art style -- is far different than any Tony Hawk game before. The characters are more like caricatures, slightly more cartoony in design, with different body proportions and less realistic appearances.

If with Tony Hawk Underground Neversoft took the venerable skating series and shook it up like an Etch-a-Sketch, Tony Hawk Underground 2 is the highly refined sequel to that newly fangled picture. For those who love the two-minute timer, you've got Classic Mode. For those who want to do more things outside of skateboarding you'll probably like the projectiles and off the board goodies. And who also liked Jet Set Radio, you've got tagging. It's clear that Neversoft wants to appeal to as many people as possible, and in THUG 2, it looks like they're doing a superb job of it.